AS  A MISSION  FIELD 


A PREMIUM  TRACT 


prkm:cm  offered  by  rev.  i.  j.  Roberts,  late  mssioNARY  to  china.) 


By  Rev.  M.  J.  KNOWLTON, 

MISSIONARY  TO  CHINA. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

BIBLE  AND  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 

530  y^RCH  ^TREET. 


WHAT  CHIXA  IS. 


The  Rev.  J.  Ij.  Nevius,  in  his  late  work  on  “ China 
and  tlie  Chinese,”  gives  the  following  comparison  with 
the  United  States: 

In  giving  a correct  general  idea  of  China  to  Western 
nations,  I cannot,  perhaps,  do  better  than  to  institute  a 
comparison  between  it  and  the  United  States,  to  which 
it  bears  a striking  resemblance.  It  occupies  the  same 
position  in  the  Eastern  Hemisphere  that  the  United 
States  does  in  the  Western.  Its  line  of  sea-coast  on  the 
Pacific  resembles  that  of  the  United  States  on  the  At- 
lantic, not  only  in  length  but  also  in  contour.  Being 
found  within  almost  the  same  parallels  of  latitude,  it 
embraces  the  same  varieties  of  climate  and  productions. 

A river  as  grand  as  the  Mississippi,  flowing  east,  divides 
the  empire  into  two  nearly  equal  parts,  which  are  often 
designated  as  “ North  of  the  River,”  and  “ South  of  the 
River.”  It  passes  through  an  immense  and  fertile  val- 
ley, and  is  supplied  by  numerous  tributaries  having  their 
rise  in  mountain  ranges  on  either  side,  and  also  in  the 
Himalayas  on  the  west. 

The  area  of  China  proper  is  about  the  same  as  that  of 
the  organized  states  of  the  American  Union.  The  re- 
semblance holds  also  in  the  artificial  divisions.  While 
our  country  is  divided  into  more  than  thirty  states, 
China  is  divided  into  eighteen  provinces ; this  division 
furnishing  still  another  name  for  the  empire,  in  common 
use,  Shih-pah-seng,  “ The  Eighteen  Provinces.”  These 
provinces  are  on  an  average  about  twice  as  large  as  our  , 
states.  As  our  states  are  divided  into  counties,  so  each 


NO.  113. 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


A PREMIUM  TRACT. 


By  Rev.  M.  J.  KNOWLTON,  ' 

MISSIONARY  TO  CHINA. 


“ It  is  a great  step  towards  the  Christianizing  of 
our  planet,  if  Christianity  gain  entrance  into  China.” 
Thus  spake  Neander,  in  a speech  at  Berlin  on  the  Chinese 
mission,  July  6,  1850,  but  eight  days  before  his  death. 

His  reasons  for  this  deep  interest  in  that  field,  were 
these:  “In  the  first  place,  there  is  that  vastness;  since 
thereby  Christianity  may  have  access  to  a third  jiart  of 
the  earth’s  population.  Moreover,  there  is  that  peculiar 
interest  which  the  quality  of  the  nation  affords.  We 
find  here  a nation  in  which,  for  centuries,  there  has 
been  a large  amount  of  civilization  and  culture ; where 
many  arts  and  handicrafts  flourished  a long  time  before 
they  were  thought  of  in  the  European  nations.” 

That  “ great  step  towards  the  Christianizing  of  our 
planet,”  has  been  taken.  The  opening  of  the  Chinese 
empire, — the  throwing  open  of  the  doors  to  admit  the 
gospel  to  a third  of  the  human  race, — is  undoubtedly 
one  of  the  greatest  among  the  great  events  of  the 
present  age,  and  one  that  should  awaken  no  ordinary 
interest  throughout  the  Christian  world.  It  is  an  event 
in  which  the  hand  of  God  is  clearly  manife.st,  preparing 
A 


2 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


the  way,  and  leading  forward  the  grand  yet  gradnal 
movement  of  his  kingdom,  toward  tlie  period  when  the 
heathen  shall  be  given  to  the  Son  for  an  inheritance, 
and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  a possession. 
The  time  has  evidently  come,  when  every  Christian 
should  inform  himself  respecting  this  field,  and  labor 
for  its  evangelization. 

In  the  following  pages,  it  is  proposed  to  notice  those 
characteristics  that  render  China  a mission-field  of 
paramount  importance.  Those  features  are  chiefly  the 
following:  Its  antiquity;  its  vastness;  the  “quality” 
of  the  people ; their  benighted  and  lost  condition ; the 
religious  history  of  China  ; the  encouraging  success  of 
Protestant  missions  in  that  field  ; and  the  fact  that  it  is 
now  brought  so  near  Christian  nations. 

1.  Its  great  antiquity.  The  origin  of  the  Chinese, 
from  the  best  light  we  have,  appears  to  be  as  follows : 
During  the  first  century  after  the  confounding  of 
tongues,  five  or  six  nomadic  tribes  from  the  region 
southeast  of  the  Caspian  sea,  made  their  way  eastward 
by  .successive  stages  seeking  out  the  best  watered  and 
most  productive  places,  and  finally  settled  along  the 
banks  of  the  Yellow  river  in  the  north,  and  in  the  basin 
of  the  great  Yang-tze  river,  in  the  central  and  western 
portions  of  what  is  now  the  Chinese  empire.  The  tribe 
which  constituted  the  original  progenitors  of  the  Chi- 
nese race,  chiefly  by  their  superior  skill  in  agriculture, 
their  settled  habits  of  labor,  and  by  possessing  them- 
selves of  the  low,  rich  lands  along  the  water  course.s, 
which  the  renowned  “ emperor  ” Yu,  drained  and  pro- 
tected from  inundation  by  building  dikes,  became  more 
prosperous  than  their  neighboring  tribes  ; and  gradually, 
by  conquests,  alliances,  and  intermarriages,  they  ab- 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


8 


sorbed  all  the  other  tribes  except  the  Mian-tze,  who 
exist  among  the  mountains  as  a distinct  race  to  this  dav. 

China  was  consolidated  into  a nation,  in  the  feudal 
form,  about  the  beginning  of  the  Chow  dynasty,  1088 
B.  C.,  and  the  present  de.spotic  form  of  government 
took  the  place  of  the  feudal  system,  about  two  hundred 
and  twenty  years  before  the  Christian  era. 

Thus,  China  has  existed  almost  from  the  time  of  the 
confusion  of  tongues ; and  has  had  a consolidated  gov- 
ernment or  nationality  nearly  three  thousand  years. 
Other  ancient  nations,  as  Assyria,  Babylonia,  ancient 
Egypt,  ancient  Greece,  and  the  ancient  Turanian  and 
Aztec  nations,  all  rose  and  flourished  for  a time,  but  at 
length  became  extinct,  and  the  mouldering  ruins  of 
their  renowned  cities  alone  tell  of  their  former  great- 
ness. Later  empires,  as  the  Syrian  and  Koman,  rose, 
had  their  pei’iod  of  prosperity,  power,  and  luxury,  and 
long  since  fell  into  decay.  • But  there  stands  China, 
unmoved  by  the  waves  of  time,  existing  through  all  the 
long  ages,  and  through  twenty-eight  changes  of  dynasty  ; 
with  her  system  of  government,  her  laws,  her  arts,  her 
habits  and  customs,  unchanged;  and  greater  in  popula- 
tion and  wealth  during  the  first  half  of  the  present 
century,  than  in  any  former  period  of  her  long  history  ! 
A wonderful  nation  that,  thus  to  withstand  the  shock  of 
repeated  bloody  revolutions,  and  changes  of  rulers,  and 
remain  the  same  amid  all  national  vicissitudes  for  so 
man^  ages.  Why,  at  the  departure  of  the  Hebrews 
from  Egypt,  China  was  already  about  seven  hundred 
years  old  ; when  Isaiah  prophesied  of  her  future  conver- 
sion to  God  (Isa.  xlix.  12),  she  had  existed  fifteen  cen- 
turies; and  while  Homer  was  composing  and  singing 
the  Iliad,  her  blind  minstrels  were  celebrating  the  deeds 


4 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


of  her  ancient  heroes,  Yaou,  Shun,  and  Yu,  whose  tombs 
had  been  with  them  nearly  thirteen  hundred  years  ! 

2.  The  vastness  of  this  field.  Some  idea  of  the 
vast  extent  of  the  Chinese  Empire  may  be  obtained  by 
considering  its  line  of  sea  coast,  running  nearly  three 
thousand  miles ; its  extensive  mountain  ranges ; its 
broad  plains,  rich  and  “ well  watered  ” as  the  plain  of 
Jordan  that  Lot  beheld  and  coveted,  yea,  even  “ as  the 
garden  of  the  Lord,”  the  largest  of  which  has  an  area 
of  about  three  hundred  thousand  square  miles ; its  mag- 
nificent rivers,  the  largest,  the  Yang-tze,  being  thirty- 
three  hundred  miles  in  length,  the  third  river  in  the 
world,  and  draining  a basin  of  about  eight  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  square  miles,  in  which  dwells  a population 
of  some  one  hundred  and  eighty  millions ; its  vast 
area,  embracing  nearly  five  million  square  miles,  or 
greater  by  about  a million  and  a half  than  that  of  the 
whole  United  States,  including  Alaska,  and  about  one 
million  and  three  hundred  thousand  square  miles  greater 
than  all  Europe. 

But  the  mere  physical  features  of  the  empire,  are  ol 
small  importance  as  compared  with  the  vastness  of  the 
population.  A stranger  on  first  visiting  that  land,  is  most 
forcibly  struck  with  the  immense  number  of  people  that 
he  sees  swarming  on  every  hand.  Wherever  he  goes,  to 
the  hills  or  to  the  islands,  whose  bare  and  apparently 
barren  summits  appear  incapable  of  sustaining  a single 
human  being,  even  there  he  finds  habitations  and  ham- 
lets filled  with  inhabitants;  he  finds  all  the  vast  plains 
thickly  dotted  with  populous  villages ; he  beholds  all 
the  water-courses  and  canals  swarming  with  boats  in- 
stinct with  human  life ; while  in  the  streets  of  every 
one  of  the  numerous  great  cities  throughout  the  empire 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


5 


he  finds,  on  every  day  in  the  year,  a vast  crowd  of 
human  beings  hurrying,  jostling,  hustling  on  as  if  it 
were  some  great  festal  day. 

The  Chinese  census  of  1839  gave  a population  of 
four  hundred  and  fifteen  millions.  And  though  some 
have  thought  so  great  a number  to  be  incredible,  yet  for 
several  years  past,  it  has  generally  been  admitted  by 
those  best  acquainted  with  China,  that  at  least  the  pop- 
ulation is  about  four  hundred  millions.  During  the 
last  twenty  years,  however,  civil  wars,  famine,  and 
pestilence  have  probably  reduced  the  population  to 
about  three  hundred  and  seventy  millions.  Even  at 
this  estimate,  the ’population  is  nearly  ten  times  that 
of  the  United  States,  more  than  thirteen  times  that  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  about  one-third  greater  than 
that  of  all  Europe,  and  more  than  double  the  popula- 
tion of  the  four  continents  of  North  and  South  Ameri- 
ca, Africa,  and  Oceanica,  all  combined ; in  short,  about 
one-third  of  the  earth’s  inhabitants  is  found  in  this  one 
empire. 

It  is  this  inconceivable  number  of  our  fellow  men, 
possessing  in  common  with  us  intelligent  immortal  souls, 
capable  of  indefinite  improvement  and  happiness,  that 
especially  constitutes  China  the  greatest  and  most  im- 
portant of  mission  fields.  The  mass  of  Christians,  it  is 
to  be  feared,  have  but  a very  vague  and  inadequate  idea 
of  the  vast  extent  and  importance  of  this  field,  which 
but  recently  has  been  opened  to  missionary  effort.  Has 
not  their  attention  been  too  exclusively  confined  to  the 
smaller  fields  already  opened  and  occupied,  so  that  now 
it  is  difficult  for  them  to  comprehend  the  greatness  and 
sublimity  of  the  enterprise  here  presented,  and  which 
demands  the  most  active  employment  of  all  the  energies 


6 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


and  appliances  at  their  command?  What  is  the  Chris- 
tianizing of  a few  islands  and  small  countries,  compared 
with  the  great  work  to  be  done  in  this  populous  empire  ! 
Were  all  the  islands  of  Oceanica,  with  Siam,  Burmah, 
Assam,  and  all  the  other  bordering  nations  to  become 
thoroughly  Christianized,  still  they  are  comparatively 
so  small  that  the  great  system  of  heathenism  in  Asia, 
would  scarcely  feel  the  shock.  It  would  be  but  the 
carrying  of  a few  pickets  and  out-posts,  while  the  main 
fortress  remains  strong  and  impregnable.  Until  China 
is  converted  to  God,  idolatry  and  heathenism  will  remain 
in  their  pride,  power,  and  ascendency  in  the  world. 

Should  not  then,  all  who  are  interested  in  the  spirit- 
ual conquest  of  the  world,  fix  their  attention  earnestly 
upon  this  stronghold  of  heathenism  ? Should  they  not 
in  this  age  of  broad  views  and  great  enterprises,  take 
the  most  enlarged  views  of  the  great  work  before  them, 
and  not  allow  a few  minor  tribes  or  nations  to  ab.sorb 
their  attention  and  circumscribe  their  effort?  Surely 
the  great  commission  will  not  be  obeyed,  until  the  gos- 
pel shall  be  faithfully  preached  to  every  dweller  in  the 
seventeen  hundred  walled  cities,  and  the  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  villages  throughout  the  Chinese  Empire  ! 

3.  The  superior  quality  or  character  of  the  people,  is 
another  important  feature  of  this  field.  The  Chinese 
have  more  strength  of  intellect,  more  solidity  of  char- 
acter, and  a higher  civilization,  than  any  other  heathen 
nation.  This  is  shown  by  their  early  formation  of  a 
wise  system  of  government,  and  an  able  code  of  laws; 
by  their  invention  of  the  art  of  manufacturing  silk 
fabrics,  which  near  the  commencement  of  the  Cliris- 
tian  era  were  sold  to  the  luxurious  Romans  for  their 
weight  in  gold ; by  the  manufacture,  also,  of  porcelain 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


7 


and  Cliina-ware,  the  best  in  the  world  ; by  the  early 
use,  and  perhaps  invention,  of  gunpowder  and  the 
magnetic  needle ; and  by  the  invention  of  the  art 
of  printing  five  hundred  years  before  it  was  known 
in  the  West.  That  they  have  good  mental  ability  is 
also  shown  by  their  extensive  literature,  containing  some 
works  of  sterling  and  permanent  value ; by  their 
thoroughly  elaborated  language,  possessing  much  ful- 
ness and  power  of  expression  ; and  by  their  long  list  of 
sages  and  literary  men.  China  has  given  a literature,  a 
code  of  morals,  and  a religion,  to  her  dependencies, 
Manchuria,  Mongolia,  and  Thibet,  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Cochin  China,  to  the  thirty-five  millions  of  Japan,  and 
to  the  Coreans.  The  people  of  all  these  countries  look 
up  to  the  Chinese  as  their  acknowledged  teachers.  It  is 
not  too  much  to  affirm,  that  China  has  for  ages  been  the 
great  centre  of  what  light  and  civilization  have  been 
enjoyed  throughout  Eastern  Asia.  As  an  indication  of 
their  intellectual  ability,  the  fact  may  also  be  mentioned 
that  the  few  Chinese  who  have  been  educated  in  Eu- 
ropean and  American  colleges  and  universities  have 
acquitted  themselves  with  honor.  A few  years  since,  a 
Chinaman  in  Yale  College  bore  off  the  first  prize  in  his 
class,  for  merit  in  English  composition. 

Their  strength  of  character  is  manifest  in  their  firm 
adherance  to  the  opinions  and  principles  which  they 
adopt;  and  in  the  vital  and  recuperative  energy  of 
those  ideas  into  which  they  have  been  educated,  and 
which  during  their  development  and  growth  as  a na- 
tion, have  carried  them  through  all  political  agitations 
and  temporary  impedinients.  The  stability  of  their 
character  is  strikingly  observable  in  their  aversion  to 
change;  in  their  love  of  order  and  method;  the  regularity 


d 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIRLD. 


of  tlieir  habits;  tlieir  diligence  in  business;  and  in 
their  quiet  and  persevering  industry. 

They  confessedly  stand  superior  to  all  other  Eastern 
races,  in  practical  wisdom  and  common  sense,  and  in 
the  manly  vigor  of  their  physical,  moral,  and  intellec- 
tual characters.  Surely  there  is  more  encouragement 
in  laboring  to  Christianize  and  elevate  a nation  like  this 
than  there  is  in  the  case  of  a people  who  have  little 
strength  of  mind  or  of  character. 

4.  But  there  is  a dark,  as  well  as  bright  side  to  this 
picture.  The  good  qualities  of  the  Chinese  render 
their  ignorance  and  superstition,  their  wickedness  and 
lost  condition,  all  the  more  lamentable,  and  should  en- 
list our  deepest  sympathies  and  most  earnest  efforts  for 
their  salvation. 

There  are  those  who,  boasting  of  the  education  and 
enlightenment,  the  civilization  and  morality  of  the 
Chinese,  assert  that  these  rendered  all  efforts  to  Chris- 
tianize them  uncalled  for. 

Chinese  “ education  and  enlightment.”  It  is  a mis- 
nomer to  speak  of  educated  or  learned  Chinese.  No 
Chinaman  is  learned  or  educated  in  our  sense  of  those 
terms.  No  science  is  taught  in  their  schools.  Their 
literary  men  are  as  utterly  ignorant  of  the  natural 
sciences,  of  the  geography  and  history  of  other  coun- 
tries, and  of  mathematics,  and  are  as  superstitious,  as 
the  most  uncultivated  classes.  In  their  view,  the  earth 
is  a plain  occupied  chiefly  by  China;  the  sun  and  stars 
revolve  around  the  earth ; the  rain  and  the  tides  are 
caused  by  dragons;  the  wind,  by  tigers  in  the  hills; 
sickne.ss,  by  evil  spirits ; prosperity  and  adversity  by 
imaginary  principles,  or  essences,  called  the  Ying  and  the 
Yang;  necromancy,  astrology,  and  every  art  of  divination 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


9 


are  accredited  sciences ; these  and  countless  other  ab- 
surdities and  superstitions  are  entertained  as  verities 
by  the  great  body  of  the  literati  of  China.  Their  edu- 
cation consists  simply  in  committing  to  memory  their 
“ Four  Books  and  Five  Classics,”  with  the  commenta- 
ries upon  them,  and  writing  of  ethical,  historical,  and 
poetical  essays,  which  are  made  up  largely  of  quotations 
from  their  classics. 

Thus  their  memories  are  developed  to  the  neglect  and 
detriment  of  their  reasoning  faculties,  while  all  freedom 
of  thought  and  all  originality  are  discouraged  and  pre- 
cluded. Of  those  even  thus  very  defectively  educated, 
constituting  the  literary  class,  the  number  is  very  small, 
probably  not  more  than  two  per  cent,  of  the  adult  male 
population.  Of  those  who  can  but  indifferently  rea,<l 
and  write,  there  are  perhaps  thirty  per  cent. ; while  the 
education  of  females  is  entirely  neglected.  The  ignor- 
ance and  superstition  of  the  people  have  kept  China  in 
a stagnant  or  retrograde  condition  more  than  two  thou- 
sand years,  constituting  an  effectual  bar  to  a high  state 
of  civilization,  and  a clog  to  every  move  in  the  direc- 
tion of  progress. 

The  nature  of  Chinese  civilization  may  be  inferred 
from  the  following  facts, — the  people  have  no  news- 
papers, no  voice  in  the  government,  no  politics,  and  no 
trial  by  jury  ; torture,  as  an  ordeal  to  extort  testimony 
from  witnesses,  and  confession  from  supposed  criminals,  is 
in  general  use  among  the  officials ; they  also  practice  the 
greatest  cruelties  upon  offenders ; in  time  of  wars,  the 
indiscriminate  slaughter  of  innocent  men,  women,  and 
children  is  usually  practiced  ; the  rudest  warlike  and 
industrial  implements,  handed  down  from  ancient  times, 
are  still  in  universal  use ; the  nation  is  characterized 


10 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


Dy  a prevailing  lethargy,  as  if  struck  with  paralysis, 
that  gives  it  an  air  of  senility,  and  the  stamp  of  decay 
and  death. 

Christianity  alone  can  impart  that  life  and  vigor  to 
China  which  will  enable  her  to  throw  off  the  incubus 
that  has  for  ages  pressed  her  down,  and  cause  her  to 
rise  and  take  her  place  among  civilized  and  enlightened 
nations,  and  enter  upon  a career  of  progress. 

There  are  others  who  say  that  “ the  heathen  being 
ignorant,  and  living  according  to  the  light  which  they 
possess,  are  not  guilty  and  will  not  be  lost.”  But  what 
are  the  facts?  Have  not  the  heathen, — have  not  the 
Chinese, — a knowledge  of  the  principles  of  moral  law  ? 
The  Chinese  are  great  moralists  in  their  way,  and  de- 
pend upon  morality  for  salvation  from  punishment. 
They  have  an  endless  number  of  moral  maxims,  which 
they  apply  on  every  proper  occasion.  For  example, 
“ Punishment  follows  crime,  as  the  shadow  follows  the 
substance.”  “ We  may  conceal  from  man’s  eye,  but  not 
from  Heaven’s  eye.”  “ He  who  sins  against  Heaven, 
has  no  place  for  prayer.”  The  readiness  and  correct- 
ness with  which  they  will  talk  on  moral  subjects,  and 
analyze  moral  character,  and  the  earnestness  with 
which  they  will  condemn  immoral  conduct,  show  the 
moral  “ law  written  in  their  hearts.” 

But  do  they  live  according  to  the  light  that  they 
possess?  Certainly  not.  Their  own  conscience  “ac- 
cuses ” them  of  doing  wrong ; and  though  its  voice  may 
be  weaker  in  them  than  in  those  reared  under  the 
teachings  of  the  Bible  and  amid  Christian  influences, 
still  it  makes  itself  heard.  They  are  convinced  of  their 
sinfulness,  and  acknowledge  it,  and  feel  the  need  of 
some  expiation  of  their  guilt.  Hence  the  numerous 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


11 


expedients  to  whicli  they  resort,  in  order  to  avoid  the 
consequences  of  their  sins.  No,  they  cannot  excuse 
themselves  ; nor  do  they  try  to  shield  themselves  with 
the  excuses  that  some  in  Christian  lands  frame  for 
them  ; they  never  affirm  that  “ they  do  not  know  right 
from  wrong,” — that  “ they  are  ignorant,  hence  inno- 
cent.” When  a Chinese  performs  an  immoral  act,  if 
some  heathen  apologist  should  say  to  him,  “ you  poor 
man,  you  did  not  know  any  better,”  he  would  take  it  as 
an  insult. 

The  Confucianists,  or  literati,  among  whom  we  might 
expect  a pure  morality,  if  in  any  class,  we  find  to  he 
inveterately  addicted  to  lying,  treachery,  and  extortion. 
Among  the  rulers,  all  of  whom  are  professed  Confu- 
cianists, justice  is  unknown.  Bribery,  extortion,  and 
oppression  constitute  the  universal  practice  among  the 
officials  of  every  grade. 

Avariciousness  sways  the  hearts  of  all  classes,  from 
the  highest  to  the  lowest.  There  is  no  mode  of  dece})- 
tion  and  fraud,  no  trick  nor  art  in  trade,  no  quackery 
nor  jugglery,  in  which  the  Chinese  are  not  perfect 
adepts.  Deception  and  lying  are  so  common  that  they 
have  almost  lost  the  consciousness  that  they  are  wrong. 
Backbiting  and  quarreling,  slandering  and  cursing,  in- 
trigues and  broils,  are  universal.  Pilfering  and  theft ; 
extortion,  robbery,  and  piracy  ; suicide,  infanticide,  and 
murder ; lotteries,  gambling-shops,  opium  dens,  and 
brothels,  are  very  common.  In  short,  the  description 
given  in  Romans  of  the  moral  condition  of  the  heathen 
is  true  to  the  letter  as  apjjlied  to  the  Chinese. 

Moreover,  there  is  the  great  sin  of  idolatry, — a sin 
more  frequently  and  severely  condemned  in  the  Bible 
than  any  other.  Some  have  supposed  that  the  Chinese 


12 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD, 


are  not  mucli  attached  to  idolatrous  worship.  This  is  a 
mistake.  If  they  were  not  thoroughly  wedded  to  their 
idols,  they  surely  would  not  spend  so  much  time  and 
money  upon  them.  Nearly  two  hundred  million  dol- 
lars are  annually  expended  in  China  upon  idolatrous 
feasts  and  worship.  For  a period  of  over  three  thou- 
sand years  idolatry,  from  small  beginnings,  has  gradu- 
ally been  extending  and  strengthening  its  hold  upon  tha 
nation.  It  has  grown  with  its  growth,  and  strengthened 
with  its  strength,  until  it  has  permeated  every  part  of 
it,  and  interwoven  itself  into  the  very  frame-work  and 
texture  of  society.  It  enters  largely  into  the  customs 
and  habits  of  the  people,  and  constitutes  a marked  fea- 
ture in  all  the  more  important  transactions  in  life.  It 
gives  tone  to  every  shade  of  religious  belief  and  prac- 
tice. Every  pursuit  in  life  has  its  own  patron  god. 
Even  thieves  and  pirates  have  their  patron  gods,  whose 
aid  they  invoke.  Idolatry  binds  the  minds  with  strong 
fetters  of  superstition;  burdens  them  with  a depressing 
dread  of  countless  ills  from  fancied  gods  and  evil  spirits, 
besides  the  crushing  weight  of  expense.  Millions  earn 
their  living  by  manufacturing  and  vending  shrines, 
idols,  and  other  articles  used  in  idolatrous  worsbiir. 
Their  idolatry  assumes  a Protean  form.  The  gods  of 
their  “ three  religions,  Confucianism,  Taouism,  and 
Buddhism,  are  worshipped  indiscriminately  by  all. 
Many  never  visit  an  idol-temple  to  worship,  yet  they 
worship  the  ‘kitchen  god,’  or  the  ‘god  of  wealth,’  or 
the  ‘ local  god  ; ’ and  all  w-orship  ‘ heaven  and  earth,’ 
and  their  ‘ ancestors.’  ” 

Now,  how  are  the  heathen  to  be  saved  wdthout  the 
gospel?  While  they  will  not  be  condemned  for  rejecting 
the  gospel,  which  they  have  never  heard,  nor  for 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


13 


disobeying  tbe  Bible,  -which  they  have  never  read,  yet 
they  will  be  condemned  for  disobeying  the  law  of  God 
“ written  in  their  hearts,”  and  for  not  living  according 
to  the  light  which  they  possess.  And  while,  like  the 
inhabitants  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  it  will  be  more 
tolerable  for  them  in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for 
those  who  have  rejected  the  full  blaze  of  the  gospel’s 
light,  still  it  by  no  means  follows  that  they  will  be  ac- 
quitted as  innocent  and  be  saved.  They  have  no  inno- 
cence, no  purity,  no  fitness  for  the  pure  abode  of  heaven 
and  its  holy  and  spiritual  employments. 

Where  then  is  there  any  hope  for  the  hundreds  of 
millions  of  heathen  in  China,  in  their  present  state  ? 
Missionaries  do  not  go  to  that  land  to  preach  the  gospel 
to  poor  innocents,  over  whom  a fate  is  impending  which 
they  do  not  deserve  It  is  because  they  are  deserving 
and  exposed  to  everlasting  perdition,  that  the  gospel  is 
preached  to  them,  the  only  hope  of  salvation.  And 
the  command  of  Christ  lays  the  obligation  upon  Chris- 
tians to  make  known  the  gospel  to  every  one  of  those 
vast  multitudes. 

5.  In  order  to  a more  complete  understanding  of 
China  as  a mission-field,  a brief  review  of  its  religious 
history  will  be  necessary. 

In  most  ancient  times  the  Chinese  evidently  had 
.some  knowledge  of  God,  whom  they  designated 
“ Heaven,”  and  the  “ Supreme  Ruler.”  Yet  the  heads 
of  states,  of  tribes,  and  of  families,  constituted  their 
only  priests.  In  addition  to  the  worship  of  “ Heaven,” 
they  sacrificed  to  the  “ Six  Honored  Ones,”  which  were 
probably  the  tutelary  gods  presiding  over  the  more  con- 
spicuous objects  of  nature ; they  also  made  offerings  to 
the  rivers  and  hills,  to  their  ancestors,  and  to  the  host 


14 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


of  spirits.  They  also  were  very  much  given  to  the 
practice  of  divination.  But  their  most  ancient  books 
are  silent  respecting  rewards  and  punishments. 

Confucius,  who  flourished  about  500  B.  0.,  founded 
his  system  upon  the  sayings  and  practices  of  the 
ancients.  He  edited  and  expounded  some  of  their 
W'orks,  and  wrote  a history.  The  sayings  and  doings  of 
Confucius  him.self  were  recorded  by  his  disciples  after 
his  death. 

The  ethical  teachings  of  Confucius,  comsisted  in  incul- 
cating the  “ Five  Virtues,”  and  the  duties  pertaining  to 
the  “ Five  Eelations  ” in  life.  The  “Five  Kelations  ” 
were  those  subsisting  between  emperor  and  officer, 
father  and  son,  husband  and  wdfe,  older  and  younger 
brothers,  and  between  friends.  The  “Five  Virtues” 
were  benevolence,  righteousness,  propriety,  knowledge 
and  faith.  His  moral  precepts  were  good,  and  have 
had  a very  great,  and  in  some  respects  beneficial  influ- 
ence upon  the  nation. 

But  his  system  has  a few  radical  defects.  He  ignored 
a future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments.  He  also 
taught  that  man’s  nature  is  naturally  good,  and  that  he 
may  by  his  own  exertions  become  holy.  This  false 
view  of  man’s  moral  state,  tends  to  foster  pride  and 
self-righteousness,  and  leads  to  the  rejection  of  the 
scriptural  doctrine  of  the  new  birth,  and  of  the  neces- 
sity of  a Saviour  to  deliver  from  sin  and  its  conse- 
quences. Confucius  inculcated  the  worship  of  ancestors. 
This  being  regarded  as  the  highest  act  and  clearest 
proof  of  filial  piety,  a duty  largely  dwelt  upon  by  the 
venerated  sage,  and  by  the  wliole  class  of  moralists, 
and  being  also  recognized  by  law,  it  is  of  all  forms  of 
religious  worship  in  China,  the  most  popular,  the  most 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


15 


venerated,  and  the  most  endeared  to  the  hearts  of  the 
people.  But  the  tendency  of  the  practice  of  making 
offerings  to  the  spirits  of  their  ancestors,  has  been  to 
foster  universal  devil-woi'ship. 

Confucius  often  spoke  of  “ Heaven  ” in  terms  that 
can  only  be  appropriately  applied  to  a personal  Deity. 
But  his  later  expositors  have  interpreted  “ Heaven  ” to 
mean  merely  the  material  “heaven  and  earth;”  they 
have  deified  cosmos,  and  thus  by  their  pantheistic  teach- 
ing, have  obscured  the  ancient  and  Confucian  idea  of  a 
“ Supreme  Ruler.”  An  atheistic  philosophy  was  de- 
veloped, chiefly  by  Chufucius  about  the  middle  of  the 
twelfth  century,  which  is  extensively  held  by  the 
literary  men  of  the  present  day.  This  philosophy  at- 
tributes the  existence  and  order  of  the  universe  to  a 
self-existing,  perpetually  operating  essence,  guided  by 
an  eternal  principle  of  right.  The  essence  and  princi- 
ple are  indissolubly  united,  but  are  not  spiritual  in  their 
nature,  and  are  devoid  of  intelligence.  The  existence 
of  spiritual  beings,- — whether  men,  gods,  or  evil-spirits, 
— is  attributed  to  the  same  cause.  Growth  and  decay, 
life  and  death,  in  short  all  the  changes  and  vicissitudes 
that  are  transpiring  in  the  universe,  are  produced  by 
the  oscillating  operations  of  the  essence  described  by 
Chinese  writers  as  “motion  and  rest,”  “expanding  and 
contracting,”  and  designated  by  the  “ dual  powers,"  the 
“ male  and  female  principles,”  the  Yavg  and  the  Ying. 
Order  and  virtue  exist  in  consequence  of  the  controlling 
presence  of  the  principle,  while  the  operations  of  the 
essence  are  often  lawless,  overstepping  the  bounds  which 
the  jjrinciple  of  right  prescribes,  and  producing  moral 
evil,  anarchy,  and  distress  in  the  universe.  Thus  this 
philosophy  dethrones  the  eternal  Author  and  Sovereign 


16 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


of  tlie  universe  ; subject's  man  to  a blind  fate  ; tends  to 
uproot  all  sense  of  moral  accountability  ; accommodates 
itself  and  gives  license  to  the  deepest  depravity  and 
wickedness  ; gives  scope  to  any  amount  of  superstition  ; 
and  lays  a foundation  for  the  whole  system  of  geomancy, 
and  prognostication.  The  withering,  benumbing,  dead- 
ening influence  which  this  system  exerts  upon  the  re 
ligious  instincts  and  moral  sensibilities,  no  one  can 
realize  unless  brought  into  contact  with  consciences  thus 
“ seared,”  and  the  hearts  thus  rendered  “ hard  as 
adamant.” 

Buddhism  was  introduced  into  China  from  India, 
about  A.  D.  66.  This  system  answers  the  wants  of 
man’s  religious  nature  far  better  than  Confucianism 
or  the  atheistic  philosophy,  inasmuch  as  it  furnishes  a 
full  system  of  idolatrous  worship  and  religious  super- 
stition, and  holds  out  future  rewards  and  punishments, 
which,  though  of  a gross  and  material  character,  are 
very  impressive  to  ignorant  minds.  The  system,  how- 
ever, exerts  but  little  moral  restraint  upon  its  adherents. 
Its  ordinary  worship  is  simple,  requiring  but  slight 
mental  or  physical  exertion,  thus  adapting  itself  to 
man’s  natural  indolence  as  well  as  ignorance.  Some  of 
its  feasts  and  rites  are  showy,  and  calculated  to  please 
and  captivate  the  dark-minded  and  superstitious  multi- 
tude. Its  temples  are  costly  and  numerous ; its  priests 
number  over  a million ; and,  what  has  great  influence 
with  the  Chinese,  it  is  ancient,  and  its  rites  and  super- 
stitious observances  are  long  established  and  almost 
universal  customs ; hence  it  is  very  popular  among  the 
masses  of  the  people. 

Tauism  originated  with  a Chinese  philosopher, 
Lan-tzc,  who  was  born  B.  C.  604,  hence  was  contempoi’ary 


CrTlNA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


17 


with  Confucius.  His  great  work  was  a “ Treatise 
on  Truth  and  Virtue,”  a very  abstruse  and  transcen- 
dental production.  The  Tauist  system  is  materialis- 
tic, including  an  atheistic  theory  of  the  universe,  and 
the  so-called  science  of  alchemy  and  astrology.  It  has 
been  dignified  by  the  term  “ rationalism,”  but  a far 
more  befitting  title  for  it,  as  it  now  e.vists,  is  sorcery.  Its 
devotees  are  much  given  to  conjuration,  necromancy, 
and  devil-worship.  They  also,  like  the  Buddhists,  wor- 
ship numerous  idols.  The  chief  obstacles  which  this 
form  of  idolatry  presents  to  the  reception  of  the  gospel, 
consist  in  the  doubt  which  it  tends  to  throw  upon  the 
testimony  of  prophecy  and  miracles,  the  inspiration  of 
the  prophets  and  apostles,  and  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
and  in  the  peculiar  fascination  which  sorcery  and  magi- 
cal rites  have  over  unenlightened  minds. 

The  above  three  religions  of  China  are  not  consid- 
ered by  the  people  as  antagonistic  sects,  hence  it  is 
very  common  for  the  same  persons  to  profess  and  per- 
form the  rites  and  worship  of  them  all. 

Of  other  religionists  in  China,  the  Mohammedans  are 
most  numerous.  They  began  to  come  from  Arabia  as 
early  as  the  seventh  century.  Their  number  has  gradu- 
ally increased  by  emigration  from  Mohammedan  states, 
and  by  natural  descent,  and  not  by  proselyti.sm.  They 
are  now  found  in  all  parts  of  the  empire,  have  mosques 
in  all  the  large  cities,  and  number  a population  of  over 
a million. 

There  is  also  at  least  one  colony  of  Jews  in  China,  at 
the  city  of  Kai-fung  in  the  province  of  Honan.  They 
claim  to  have  settled  there  at  a period  prior  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Christian  era,  and  number  about 
three  hundred  persons.  They  have  the  law  and  some 


18 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


other  portions  of  the  Scriptures  in  Hebrew,  hut  their 
last  rabbi  who  could  read  the  sacred  language  died  about 
forty  years  since.  Their  ritual  worship  has  ceased,  cir- 
cumcision is  neglected,  their  synagogue,  built  A.  D. 
1183,  has  recently  been  pulled  down  and  the  timbers 
and  stones  sold;  and  a few  years  will,  not  unlikely,  put 
a period  to  their  existence  as  a distinct  people. 

Christianity  in  some  of  its  forms,  is  no  new  thing  in 
China.  There  is  a strong  probability,  to  say  the  least, 
that  the  gospel  was  preached  in  China,  and  churches 
founded,  during  the  first  century.  According  to  the 
ritual  of  the  Syrian  churches  on  the  Malabar  coast  and 
in  Persia,  the  apostle  Thomas  himself  preached  the  gos- 
pel and  founded  churches  in  China.  Assemanus,  a 
learned  Syrian  historian,  maintains  the  same  viev/. 
Mosheim  says,  “ There  are  various  arguments  collected 
from  learned  men,  to  show  that  the  Christian  faith  was 
carried  to  China,  if  not  by  the  apostle  Thomas,  by  the 
first  teachers  of  Christianity.”  He  also  states  that 
“ Arnobius  writing  about  the  year  300,  speaks  of  the 
Christian  deeds  done  in  India,  and  among  the  Seres, 
(Chinese,)  Persians,  and  Medes.”  Chinese  history  also, 
make  a clear  reference  to  Christianity  in  China  at  this 
period.  On  the  whole,  the  historic  testimony  is  quite 
united  and  strong  in  favor  of  the  view  that  Christian 
churches  were  established  in  China  during  the  first 
century. 

As  we  come  down  to  the  sixth  century,  we  find  that 
the  Nestorian  Christians  certainly  had  missions  in  China. 
It  was  in  the  year  552,  according  to  Gibbon,  that  the 
“ two  Persian  (Nestoilan)  monks,  who  had  long  resided 
in  China,  brought  the  eggs  of  silk  worms  thence  to 
Constantinople.”  Mosheim  states  that  “ from  the 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD, 


19 


Nestorian  school  at  Nisibas  (Persia)  issued  those  who  in 
the  fifth  and  following  century  carried  the  Nestorian 
doctrines  into  Egypt,  Syria,  Arabia,  India,  Tartary,  and 
even  to  China.” 

In  the  seventh  and  eighth  centuries  the  Nestorian 
missions  in  China  were  very  flourishing.  This  we  learn 
from  an  inscription  upon  a remarkable  marble  tablet, 
discovered  A.  D.  1625,  in  Sigan,  the  capital  of  the 
Shen-si  province,  and  still  to  be  seen  there,  which  was 
erected  A.  D.  781.  From  this  inscription  it  is  evident 
that  Christianity,  as  taught  by  the  Nestorians,  and  of 
a much  purer  type  than  Eomanism,  had  made  great 
progress  among  the  Chinese ; the  greatest  prosperity 
occurring  during  the  eighth  century.  It  enjoyed  the 
.special  favor  and  patronage  of  six  or  seven  emperors  of 
the  Tang  dynasty  ; the  Bible,  or  at  least  portions  of  it, 
was  translated  and  was  “ in  the  library  of  the  palace  ” ; 
churches  were  built  and  adorned,  and  priests  were 
appointed  and  supported  by  the  command  and  munifi- 
cence of  the  Chinese  emperors ; many  men  occupying 
high  official  stations  were  the  warm  friends  of  the  foreign 
missionaries,  and  the  firm  adherents  and  zealous  sup- 
porters of  the  faith  ; and  converts,  churches,  and  priests 
were  numerous  throughout  the  empire. 

Sixty-four  years  after  the  erection  of  the  tablet, 
A.  D.  845,  persecution  arose,  and  by  an  edict  of  the 
emperor,  Wu-tsung,  “ the  priests  that  came  from  Ta- 
tsin,”  (Syria),  numbering  no  less  than  three  thousand, 
were  ordered  to  retire  to  private  life.  From  this  time, 
these  missions  appear  to  have  declined.  Still,  foreign 
priests  continued  for  several  centuries  occasionally  to 
arrive,  and  churches  continued  to  exist  in  various  parts 
of  the  empire,  until  a fierce  persecution  arose  that 


20 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


“ scattered  the  Christians,  and  changed  their  place  of 
worship  into  heathen  temples.”  This  occurred  about 
the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  when  the  churches 
had  already  become  very  corrupt  and  feeble.  Since 
that  time,  it  is  not  certainly  known  that  a single  Nes- 
torian  church  has  existed  in  the  empire.  The  Jesuits 
in  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  found 
some  traces  of  Nestorian  Christians,  but  they  were 
classed  by  the  Chinese  among  the  Mohammedans  and 
Jews;  while  the  greater  part  had  become  idolaters. 
The  benevolent  and  eleemosynary  institutions  of  China, 
there  can  be  little  doubt,  come  from  these  missions,  for 
the  tablet  speaks  of  distinguished  native  Chi'istians 
“ distributing  alms,  giving  food  to  the  hungry,  clothes 
to  those  suffering  from  cold,  and  curing  the  sick,”  in* 
“ imitation  of  the  Christian  missionaries.” 

Roman  Catholic  missions  have  also  been  in  operation 
in  China  for  a long  period.  Their  first  missions  were 
commenced  by  the  Dominicans  and  Franciscans,  in 
1292,  or  nearly  six  hundred  years  since.  They  con- 
tinued till  the  expulsion  of  the  Mongols  from  the  throne 
of  China,  in  1368,  when  their  missions  were  broken  up, 
after  having  existed  but  seventy-six  years.  From  this 
time,  for  a period  of  two  hundred  and  thirteen  years, 
we  hear  no  more  of  Roman  Catholic  missions  in  China. 

But  in  the  year  1581,  the  Jesuits  commenced  a 
mission.  It  continued  to  prosper  for  a period  of  one 
hundred  and  forty-three  years,  and  many  churches 
were  established.  Then,  in  consequence  of  the  polit- 
ical intrigues  of  the  Jesuits  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
envy  and  suspicion  of  the  Chinese  officials  and  literati 
on  the  other,  a fierce  persecution  arose.  Since  that 
time,  the  mbssious  have  suffered  frequent  severe  perse- 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  I'lELD. 


21 


cutions ; but  the  missionaries  have  continued  to  prose- 
cute their  work,  through  various  prosperous  and  adverse 
fortunes,  down  to  the  present  time.  Their  zeal  and 
self-denial,  their  steadfastness  and  perseverance,  amid 
persecution,  torture,  and  death,  merit  high  praise,  and 
are  worthy  to  be  imitated  by  all  missionaries  of  a 
purer  faith. 

The  statistics  of  Roman  Catholic  missions  in  China, 
in  18G6,  were  as  follows : Bishops  20 ; Colleges  12 ; 
Foreign  Priests  233 ; Native  Priests  237  ; Native 
Christians  363,580. 

A Greek  church,  composed  of  twenty-five  captive 
Russians,  one  of  whom  was  a priest,  was  established  at 
Peking,  in  1685.  In  1689,  a treaty  was  formed  be- 
tween the  Russian  and  Chinese  governments,  which 
resulted  in  the  permanent  establishment  of  a college  of 
Greek  priests  at  the  capital,  usually  composed  of  the 
Archimandrite,  or  head  priest,  who  also  acted  as  Rus- 
sian ambassador,  a clergyman,  a physician,  a mathema- 
tician or  asti’onomer,  and  eight  or  ten  young  Russians 
learning  the  Manchu  and  Chinese  languages.  They 
have  not  until  recently  sought  to  proselyte  the  natives 
to  their  faith.  They  have  in  Peking  two  churches,  and 
between  three  and  four  hundred  native  converts. 

6.  Protestant  missions  to  the  Chinese  were  com- 
menced in  1807.  In  that  year,  the  Rev.  Robert  Mor- 
rison, of  the  London  missionary  society,  began  a 
mission  at  Canton.  As  China  was  not  yet  opened,  and 
the  East  India  Company,  which  then  monopolized  the 
trade  with  China,  was  oppo.sed  to  missions,  Mr.  Morrison 
was  not  at  liberty  to  preach  openly ; but  “ he  held 
secret  meetings  with  a few  natives  in  his  own  room, 
where  with  locked  doors,  he  read  and  explained  the 


22 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


gospels  every  Lord’s  Day.”  He  labored  alone  for  six 
years,  and  was  then  joined  by  the  Rev.  William  Milne. 

Up  to  1841,  a period  of  thirty-five  years,  fifty-eight 
missionaries  had  joined  the  various  missions,  of  whom 
only  four  came  direct  to  Canton  ; eight  were  stationed 
at  Macao,  a small  peninsula  near  Canton,  occupied  by 
Portuguese ; the  remaining  forty-six  were  stationed 
among  the  Chine.se  settlements  in  the  Malayan  Archi- 
pelago. The  missionaries  studied  the  language ; con- 
ducted day  and  boarding-schools ; prepared  and  circu- 
lated a large  number  of  tracts  and  Scriptures,  in  both 
the  Chinese  and  Malay  languages ; and  preached  the 
gospel  extensively  to  the  people. 

Tn  1842,  when  British  cannon  had  opened  the  long 
closed  gates  of  China,  the  missionaries,  evidently  feeling 
that  their  position  in  settlements  out  of  China  was  un- 
favorable to  their  work,  removed  and  established  them- 
selves at  the  five  treaty  ports  of  China-proper.  Mis- 
sionaries in  greatly  increased  numbers  entered  the  field, 
and  with  great  zeal  began  to  lay  broad  and  deep  the 
foundations  of  their  future  missions.  Lots,  often  with 
difficulty,  were  secured  ; buildings  were  erected  ; schools, 
dispensaries,  printing  establishments,  and  chapels  were 
opened;  the  colloquial  dialects  and  the  written  lan- 
guage were  acquired;  and  the  gospel  was  faithfully 
proclaimed.  Thus  for  eighteen  years  they  labored  at 
the  five  ports,  and  on  the  island  of  Hongkong,  which 
had  been  ceded  to  England. 

By  the  treaties  of  1860,  secured  by  the  second  war, 
ten  new  ports  were  opened,  chiefly  on  the  river  Yang- 
tze, and  in  the  north  of  China.  At  most  of  these,  mis- 
sions were  soon  established.  Day  and  boarding-schools 
have  been  extensively  maintained;  hundreds  of  native 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


23 


preachers  have  been  raised  up  in  training  schools ; dis- 
pensaries and  hospitals  have  been  established  at  nearly 
all  the  ports,  where  more  than  one  hundred  thousand 
patients  have  annually  been  treated,  and  at  the  same 
time  have  been  brought  under  the  influence  of  the  gos- 
pel ; five  complete  versions  of  the  Bible  and  over  seven 
hundred  other  treatises  have  been  prepared  and  circu- 
lated in  vast  numbers.  The  Scriptures  have  been  very 
extensively  circulated,  chiefly  by  sale,  throughout  fif- 
teen of  the  eighteen  provinces.  But  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  has  been  the  grand  means  employed,  and  not 
without  encouraging  success. 

In  estimating  success,  the  numerous  obstacles  to  be 
overcome  must  be  taken  into  account.  The  vast  inert 
mass  to  be  acted  upon;  the  pride,  self-conceit,  and  exclu- 
siveness of  the  people;  their  suspicions  and  prejudices 
against  foreigners  and  everything  foreign,  intensified  by 
the  dis.solute  conduct  of  most  foreigners  who  visit  their 
shores,  and  by  the  pernicious  opium  traffic  forced  upon 
them ; their  strong  attachment  to  ancient  and  revered 
customs,  and  utter  aversion  to  change ; their  false  re- 
ligions, their  puerile  superstitions,  and  abominable 
idolatries;  their  sordid  worldliness,  inordinate  love  of 
money,  and  their  grossly  material  views  and  aspirations 
both  respecting  this  life  and  that  to  come;  the  igno- 
rance, depraved  character,  and  vicious  habits  of  the 
people ; added  to  these,  the  difficulties  of  the  language, 
and  the  paucity  of  adequate  terms  to  convey  Christian 
ideas; — all  these  circumstances,  if  taken  into  ac- 
count, will  give  some  idea  of  the  obstacles  in  the  way 
of  the  successful  propagation  of  Christianity  in  that 
empire. 

The  vast  amount  of  preparatory  labor  necessary  to  be 


24 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


expended  before  extensive  results  can  be  attained,  must 
also  be  taken  into  account  in  estimating  success.  Much 
labor  spent  in  laying  the  foundations  of  missions  in  a 
heathen  land,  does  not  appear  upon  the  surface.  In 
China  especially,  it  was  slow  and  difficult  work  to  re- 
move the  prejudices,  the  ignorance  and  superstitions  of 
the  people,  which,  like  a vast  pile  of  rubbish,  had  been 
accumulating  for  ages.  And  when  Christianity  has 
already  overcome  prejudice  against  foreigners  and  their 
religion  ; when  it  has  broken  the  spell  of  superstition,  and 
hurled  idolatry  from  its  throne  in  the  heart,  its  difficult 
woik  is  but  fairly  begun.  It  must  then  encounter  not 
only  natures  besotted,  “ dead  in  tra.spasses  and  sins,” 
but  also  a tangled  and  luxurious  growth  of  deep  rooted 
vices. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  visible  progress  of  the 
work,  at  first,  was  slow.  The  results,  in  conversions  and 
gathering  numbers  in  churches,  were  not  immediately 
abundant.  In  consequence  of  this,  and  the  want  of  a 
due  regard  to  the  preparatory  labor  necessary  to  be 
performed,  and  the  numerous  obstacles  to  be  overcome, 
some  prematurely  and  unwarrantably  have  affirmed  that 
“ Protestant  missions  in  China  are  a failure.” 

Happily  we  are  now  able  to  point  to  results  of 
mi.ssionary  labor  in  that  most  difficult  field,  which  prove 
bevond  all  question  that  Protestant  missions  there  are  a 
success.  The  foundations  of  God’s  spiritual  temple 
have  there  been  laid,  and  the  walls  of  the  glorious 
superstructure  are  now  beginning  to  appear.  The 
region  of  country  already  occupied,  embraces  a large 
portion  of  the  six  provinces  on  the  coast,  extending 
from  Canton  and  Hongkong  in  the  south,  to  Kalgan, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  beyond  Peking,  in  the 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


25 


north  ; a region  nearly  two  thousand  miles  in  length  by 
from  one  hundred  to  six  hundred  miles  in  breadth  and 
containing  an  area  of  about  four  hundred  thousand 
square  miles,  or  a fourth  part  of  China  proper.  Through- 
out this  section,  missions  have  been  established  in  about 
forty  walled  cities  and  three  hundred  and  sixty  vil- 
lages, making  a total  of  four  hundred  stations  and  out- 
stations,  which  constitute  centres  of  Christian  light  and 
knowledge  to  the  regions  adjacent.  Over  four  hun- 
dred native  preachers  have  been  raised  up,  who  are 
constantly  employed  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  their 
countrymen.  About  ten  thou.sand  converts  have  been 
received  into  the  churches,  of  whom  some  have  already 
gone  home  to  be  with  Jesus,  while  some  seven  thousand 
are  at  present  communicants. 

It  is  a cheering  fact  that  the  ratio  of  conversions,  of 
out-stations,  and  of  natives  entering  the  ministry,  is 
every  year  rapidly  increasing.  The  number  in  all 
these  departments  has,  of  late,  doubled  once  in  a period 
of  a little  over  three  years.  Should  the  same  ratio  of 
increase  continue,  we  may  reasonably  expect  that  by 
the  year  1900  the  native  Christians  in  China  will  num- 
ber over  two  millions.  The  following  table  will  give 
some  idea  of  the  rate  of  progress  : 


1853 

1863 

1864 

1868 

Stations  and  Out-stations 

26 

108 

1-30 

306 

Native  Preachers 

59 

141 

170 

365 

Native  Christians 

351 

1974 

2607 

5743 

But  mere  statistics  give  a very  inadequate  view  of 
the  results  of  these  missions.  The  incidental  results 
are  also  important.  Prejudices  have  been  wearing 
away ; confidence  in  the  missionaries  has  increased ; 
their  peaceful  and  benevolent  intentions  are  becoming 


26 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


widely  acknowledged;  tens  of  thousands  have  had  their 
confidence  in  their  false  gods  and  superstitions  shaken  ; 
much  Christian  knowedge  has  been  diffused,  which,  like 
good  seed  sown  in  good  ground,  will  ere  long  spring  up 
and  yield  a bountiful  harvest. 

There  is  one  consideration,  also,  too  important  to  be 
omitted  ; that  there  are  facilities  for  the  evangelization 
of  China,  which  in  a measure,  offset  the  obstacles. 
Though  China  merits  the  designation  of  being  a hard 
mission  field,  still  there  are  many  circumstances  which 
may  be  classed  as  favorable  to  the  propagation  of  the 
gospel.  First,  we  may  mention  facilities  for  travelling 
throughout  the  empire.  True  there  are  no  railroads, 
and,  except  in  the  north  of  China,  no  wheel  carriages 
nor  carriage  roads ; yet  the  facilities  for  travelling  by 
water,  are  more  complete  than  those  of  any  other 
country.  In  addition  to  the  numerous  rivers  and  their 
tributaries,  there  are  countless  canals,  forming  a com- 
plete net-work  of  water  communication  over  all  the 
plains  of  the  country.  The  missionary  has  but  to  step 
into  a boat,  taking  with  him  his  assistant,  books,  food, 
bed,  and  by  a quiet  and  easy  mode  of  conveyance, 
he  is  soon  at  any  part  of  the  field  that  he  wishes  to 
visit.  The  clanship  of  families,  and  the  custom  of 
living  together  in  villages  and  cities,  will  also  facilitate 
the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  eminently  social  habits 
of  the  people  will  contribute  to  the  same  end,  since  what 
one  ]>erson  learns  he  soon  communicates  to  others.  The 
settled  habits  of  the  people  constitute  another  circum- 
stance far  more  favorable  to  their  evangelization  than  if 
they  were  roving,  fickle,  warlike  tribes.  Another 
facility  is  the  universality  of  the  written  language. 
Though  the  spoken  dialects  are  numerous  and  very 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


27 


diverse,  the  written  language  is  the  same  throughout  the 
empire  ; so  that  the  Scriptures  and  other  books  and 
tracts,  when  once  printed,  at  any  station,  may  be  circu- 
lated everywhere,  requiring  no  revision  though  carried 
to  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  land,  and  even  to  several 
bordering  countries. 

Closely  connected  with  the  above,  is  another  advan- 
tage, that  the  views,  objections,  and  characteristics  to  be 
met  with  are  substantially  the  same  throughout  the  em- 
pire ; hence  the  same  arguments  found  best  adapted  to 
combat  false  doctrines,  meet  objections,  and  convince  of 
the  truth  of  Christianity,  in  one  place,  would  be  found 
equally  useful  in  other  parts  of  the  empire.  Again, 
the  intelligence  of  the  people  upon  moral  subjects,  as 
compared  with  more  barbarous  nations,  constitutes  a 
stepping-stone  to  their  more  ready  acquaintance  with 
the  precepts  of  Christianity  and  when  converted,  to 
their  more  rapid  progress  in  religious  knowledge. 
Moreover,  their  religious  instincts  are  on  the  side  of 
Christianity.  They  feel  themselves  in  some  way  amen- 
able to  a power  higher  than  men  or  gods.  Something 
within  them  points  to  a future  existence  and  future  re- 
tributions, and  they  feel  the  need  of  some  sure  directory 
in  all  these  matters,  and  some  means  by  which  their 
sense  of  guilt  may  be  removed,  and  they  may  attain  a 
happy  state  of  future  existence.  The  adaptation  of 
Christianity  to  meet  all  these  spiritural  wants  and 
religious  aspirations  of  the  soul,  gives  it  an  important 
vantage  ground,  and  does  not  fail  to  commend  it  power- 
fully to  the  minds  of  even  the  heathen. 

But  as  the  greatest  obstacle  to  the  propagation  of 
Christianity  in  China  is  found  in  the  depravity  of  the 
heart,  so  on  the  other  hand,  the  greatest  encouragement 


28 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


is  found  in  the  promises  of  God.  One  “ Lo,  I am  with 
you,”  constitutes  a surer  guaranty  of  success,  and  af- 
fords more  encouragement  in  the  work  than  a thousand 
favorable  circumstances.  Still  these  facilities  have 
their  place,  and  when  the  Spirit  shall  be  poured  on 
the  people  from  on  high,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord 
shall  have  free  course  and  be  glorified,  then  these 
favoring  circumstances  no  doubt  will  be  found  to  greatly 
accelerate  its  progress.  Owing  to  the  denseness  of  the 
population,  their  tendency  to  move  in  masses,  and  to 
the  facilities  enumerated,  we  may  reasonably  expect 
that  when  the  Chinese  begin  in  earnest  to  “ seek  the 
Lord,”  the  work  of  conversion  will  move  forward  with 
greater  rapidity  than  has  ever  been  witnessed  in  any 
other  nation. 

7.  And  now,  that  which  should  greatly  enhance  the 
interest  especially  of  American  Christians  in  this  field, 
is  the  fact  that  it  is  brought  so  near  to  them.  The 
e.stablishment  of  the  Pacific  mail  steamship  line,  and 
the  Pacific  railroad,  has  revolutionized  the  relations  of 
the  foreign  mission-field  to  the  home  churches.  For- 

O 

merly,  in  contemplating  the  foreign  field,  our  attention 
was  directed  across  the  Atlantic  toward  the  “ great 
East;”  now,  we  are  compelled  by  force  of  new  cir- 
cumstances, to  gaze  westward ; beyond  the  “ great 
West,”  across  the  broad  Pacific,  there  looms  in  view, 
like  Alps  rising  on  Alps,  a greater  West ; and  here 
we  find  our  great  foreign  mission  field.  Formerly, 
China  was  at  the  very  “ ends  of  the  earth,”  too  far 
away  to  awaken  much  interest ; now,  the  facilities  for 
intercommunication  have  brought  her  almost  to  our  very 
doors,  and  she  is  beginning  to  command  our  attention. 
Formerlv,  missionaries  to  China  were  about  five  months 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


29 


in  reaching  their  field ; now,  they  can  reach  it  in  five 
weeks.  Then,  they  had  the  discomforts  of  a long  voyage 
“ around  the  Cape  ” in  a sailing  vessel ; now,  in  a splen- 
did and  comfortable  “palace-sleeping-car”  they  cross 
the  continent  to  San  Francisco  in  a week,  thence  in  a 
magnificent  steamship,  with  every  comfort  that  can  be 
enjoyed  at  sea,  they  cross  the  Pacific  and  reach  China 
in  less  than  a month. 

In  the  Pacific  railroad  cros.sing  the  rugged  Sierra 
Nevada  and  the  lofty  Piocky  Mountains,  have  ive  not 
a striking  fulfilment  of  that  prophecy  in  Isaiah  xlix.  11 : 
“ I will  make  all  my  mountains  a way,  and  my  high- 
ways shall  be  exalted  ? ” Is  not  that  road  evidently 
God’s  “highway  ” for  sending  his  word  and  his  servants 
to  Christianize  the  idolatrous  nations  of  Asia?  This 
view  is  confirmed  by  the  next  verse,  “ Behold,  these 
shall  come  fi’om  far  ; and  lo  ! these  from  the  north,  and 
from  the  west;  and  these  from  the  land  of  Sinim.” 
Sinse  or  Thinse  was  the  ancient  name  of  China,  to  which 
land  the  allusion  of  the  prophet  no  doubt  here  refers. 
If  this  interpretation  be  correct,  then  this  great  high- 
way acro.ss  the  mountains  has  direct  connection  Avith 
the  conversion  of  China  to  God.  Is  there  no  marked 
providence  in  thus  bringing  that  old,  exclusive,  popu- 
lous, heathen  nation  so  near  our  Christian  land?  Is 
there  no  significancy  in  the  fact  also,  that  China  is  pour- 
ing upon  our  shores  her  heathen  population  ? Is  there 
no  divine  plan  of  mercy  for  the  benighted  multitudes  of 
Asia,  manifest  in  bringing  the  oldest  and  the  newest 
empires  into  contact ; in  the  meeting  of  the  eastern  and 
the  western  courses  of  civilization  ; in  bringing  Amer- 
ican enterprise  to  bear  upon  Chinese  lethargy,  and  a 
living  purifying  Christianity  to  operate  upon  their 


30 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


corrupt  lieatlienism  ? Is  not  the  finger  of  God  pointing 
Christians  to  the  long  neglected  multitudes  of  China, 
and  in  effect  saying ; “ Say  not  ye,  there  are  yet  four 
months,  and  then  cometh  harvest,  behold,  I say  unto 
you,  lift  up  your  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields,  for  they 
are  white  already  to  harvest  ” ? 

Never  has  the  Christian  church  in  any  previous  pe- 
riod of  her  history,  had  so  wide  a door  of  usefulness 
opened,  nor  so  great  a demand  upon  her  efforts  and  re- 
sources. Never  before  has  any  mission  field  invited  the 
people  of  God  to  engage  in  an  enterprize  of  such  vast- 
ness and  grandeur. 

The  question  now  arises,  will  the  disciples  of  Jesus, 
in  view  of  these  va.st  perishing  multitudes  now  in  tha 
providence  of  God  rendered  easily  accessible,  yield 
hearty  obedience  to  his  last  great  command  ? Will  the 
people  of  God  go  where  he  opens  the  way,  and  clearly 
points  the  road?  Are  they  ready  to  follow  “ the  pillar 
of  cloud,”  and  “the  pillar  of  fire,”' whither.soever  they 
may  lead  ? Will  the  churches  of  Christ  take  possession 
in  his  name,  of  the  “goodly  land”  of  China? 

Christians  of  happy,  free  America,  to  you  in  a most 
emphatic  sense,  is  intru.sted  that  which  alone  can  meet 
the  wants  of  those  benighted  millions  of  your  fellow 
men.  To  you  is  committed  the  antidote  for  all  their 
ills ; the  light  that  can  dispel  their  darkness ; and  the 
only  means  which  can  secure  them  pardon,  hope,  holi- 
ness, and  eternal  salvation  and  happiness.  To  you  it  is 
granted  richly  to  enjoy  the  gospel  with  its  manifold 
blessings.  Hence  a correspondingly  heavy  responsibility 
is  laid  upon  you  to  impart  it  to  others.  You  are 
“ debtors  ” to  all  those  who  are  not  similarly  blessed. 
And  how  gi-eatly  is  that  debt  increased  by  the  abundant 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


31 


means  and  facilities  placed  in  your  hands  for  dissemi- 
nating the  gospel.  God  is  pouring  wealth  into  your 
colFers  for  a higher  purpose  than  selfish  indulgence.  To 
make  this  use  of  riches  will  bring  leanness  upon  your 
own  souls,  and  ruin  upon  your  children,  and  eventually 
upon  the  churches  and  the  nation.  The  ancient  people 
of  God  were  req-uired  to  give  for  the  various  services  of 
the  Lord,  nearly  one-half  of  their  entire  income.  In  a 
more  spiritual  kingdom,  under  a dispensation  of  better 
promises,  possessing  far  more  means  and  a vastly  en- 
larged field  for  benevolent  labors,  the  people  of  God 
now  are  required  to  give  in  no  stinted  manner,  but 
“ every  one  ” is  regularly  to  give  “ as  God  hath  pros- 
pered him.”  The  establishment  of  Christ’s  kingdom  on 
earth,  occupies  the  first  place  in  the  divine  counsels  re- 
specting our  world  ; so  also  should  it  have  the  first  jilace 
in  the  heart  of  every  Christian,  and  in  his  plans,  his 
business,  and  his  use  of  the  property  over  which  God 
has  made  him  steward.  Learn  then,  Christians,  highly 
favored  of  heaven,  from  the  advantages  that  you  enjoy, 
and  the  means  confided  to  your  trust,  both  your  pe- 
culiar responsibility  and  your  exalted  privilege. 

Has  that  responsibility  been  fairly  recognized  re- 
specting the  millions  of  China?  It  is  true  .something 
has  been  done.  Twenty-four  missionary  societies,  of 
which  one-third  are  in  the  United  States,  have  over  one 
hundred  and  sixty  missionaries  in  that  field,  of  whom 
about  one  hundred  and  forty  are  ordained.  One  or- 
dained missionary  to  some  two  million  six  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  inhabitants!  Is  this  what  should  be 
done  by  all  Christendom  to  save  the  hundreds  of  millions 
of  souls  in  China?  Why,  opium-sellers  from  professedly 
Christian  nations  annually  sell  to  Chinese  over  sixty 


32 


CHINA  AS  A MISSION  FIELD. 


million  dollar's  wortli  of  the  drug,  and  can  shou^  over 
three  million  of  confirmed  opium-inehriates,  whom  they 
have  helped  to  ruin  body  and  soul ! 

How  little  has  been  done  for  the  salvation  of  China, 
compared  with  what  remains  to  be  done,  and  with  the 
ability  of  Christians ! The  labor  hitherto  has  been 
chiefly  preparatory.  But  the  time  has  now  ai’rived  .or 
putting  forth  direct  efforts  on  a large  scale,  for  the 
evangelization  of  the  people.  This  enterprise  demands 
large  views  and  plans ; a large  amount  of  faith,  prayer, 
zeal,  and  liberal  giving,  and  a far  greater  number  or 
laborers.  Oh,  Christian,  does  not  the  authority  and 
love  of  Christ,  the  vast  multitude  and  miserable  con- 
dition of  your  fellow  men  in  China,  and  the  debt  that 
3’ou  owe  them,  constrain  you  to  employ  all  the  ability 
with  which  God  has  endowed  you,  to  give  them  the 
gospel,  which  alone  is  adapted  to  regenerate  and  save 
their  souls? 


Bible  and  Publication  Society,  530  Arch  St.,  Philadelphia. 


WHAT  CHIHA  IS. 


3 


province  has  about  ten  divisions,  called  Fu ; and  each 
Fivds  again  divided  into  about  an  equal  number  of  Hien. 
These  divisions  and  subdivisions  of  the  provinces  are 
gC'.ierally  translated  in  English,  departments,  or  prefec- 
tdf<;3,  and  districts.  The  above-mentioned  divisions  and 
subdivisions  are  much  larger  than  our  corresponding 
eounties  and  to\vn.ships.  While  the  empire  has  its  capi- 
'ttal  at  Pekin,  so  each  province,  Fu,  and  Hien,  has  its 
capital  or  seat  of  civil  power,  in  which  the  officers  exer- 
• cising  jurisdiction  over  it  reside.  While  our  national 
name.  United  States,  covers  not  only  the  states,  but  the 
dc  comparatively  sparsely-populated  territories,  so  the  Chi- 
nese  Empire  includes,  in  addition  to  the  eighteen  pro- 
1 vinces,  or  China  proper,  Manchuria,  Mongolia,  Sungaria, 
Eastern  Turkistan,  Koko-nor,  and  Thibet.  The  most  of 
these  territories  belonged  originally  to  the  present  Tar- 
tar rulers  of  China,  and,  after  the  subjugation  of  the 
eighteen  provinces,  were  united  with  them  in  the  same 
empire.  The  whole  circumference  of  the  empire  is 
about  twelve  thousand  miles,  and  the  whole  area  about 
five  millions  of  square  miles — nearly  twice  that  of  the 
United  States,  exclusive  of  the  lately-acquired  Prussian 
possessions. 

Here  the  parallel  between  the  United  States  and 
China  ceases,  and  in  nearly  every  point  of  comparison 
we  have  a decided  contrast.  The  capitals  of  the  dif- 
ferent divisions  of  the  empire  are  all  walled  cities. 
These  form  a striking  feature  of  the  country.  There 
are  important  distinctions  between  the  cities  of  the  third 
class,  most  of  which  are  designated  by  the  character 
Hien,  a few  by  the  character  Cheo,  and  a few  by  the 
character  Ting,  which  need  not  here  be  particularly 


4 


WHAT  CHINA  IS. 


described.  Though  varying  considerably  in  size,  these 
different  cities  present  nearly  the  same  uniform  ap- 
pearance. They  are  surrounded  by  walls  from  twenty 
to  thirty-five  feet  in  height,  and  are  entered  by  large 
arched  gateways,  which  open  into  the  principal  streets, 
and  are  shut  and  barred  at  night.  These  walls  are 
from  twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  thick  at  the  base,  and 
somewhat  narrower  at  the  top.  The  circumferences  of 
the  provincial  cities  vary  from  eight  to  fifteen  Engli.sh 
miles ; those  of  the  Fu  cities  from  four  to  ten  ; and  those 
of  the  Hien  cities  from  two  or  three  to  five. 

The  provincial  capitals  contain  an  average  population 
of  about  one  million  inhabitants;  the  Fu  cities  from  one 
hundred  thousand  or  less  to  six  or  eight  hundred  thou- 
sand, while  the  cities  of  the  third  class,  which  are  much 
more  numerous,  generally  contain  several  tens  of  thou- 
sands. 

All  the  names  to  be  found  on  our  largest  maps  of 
China  are  the  names  of  walled  cities,  and  many  of  those 
of  the  third  class  are  not  down  for  want  of  space.  The 
whole  number  in  the  aggregate  is  over  seventeen  hun- 
dred. Supposing  them  to  have  an  average  circumference 
of  four  miles  each,  the  whole  length  of  wall  such  as  has 
been  described  wmuld  be  sixty-eight  hundred  miles, 
nearly  one-third  the  circumference  of  the  globe.  If  we 
add  to  this  the  fifteen  hundred  miles  of  continuous  wall 
separating  China  from  Chinese  Tartary  in  the  North,  it 
will  swell  the  estimate  to  more  than  eight  thousand 
miles. 


